PonyKart Double Dash
by TheGoldenYoshichu
Summary: When the Mane Six hear about a Kart Racing tournament, they along with The Cutie Mark Crusaders, Gilda, Trixie, The Princesses, and many others decide to join the race. They all split into teams of two and it's every team for themselves as they all embark on a thrilling and dangerous race for the grand prize of twenty-thousand bits. Sequel to A Tale of Thieves.
1. Chapter 1: Ponies Start Your Engines

**Chapter 1: Ponies Start Your Engines**

Princess Celestia's sun shined over the small town of Ponyville as its citizens awoke and began their day. There was nothing in the bright blue sky and the cotton white clouds that suggested that excitement would soon fill the air in the small pony town. The pegasus ponies did their work in the skies while the earth ponies worked the fields on the farms. Fillies and colts spent their days in school while their teachers educated them about the day's subjects. Meanwhile the mayor had a very important announcement to make but she decided to wait until the entire town would be available to hear it. The elderly mare knew that the townsponies would be very excited by what she had to say to them.

During the afternoon, Twilight Sparkle went off into the Everfree Forest to have some tea with her friend Zecora. The purple alicorn was quite happy today. One of the reasons for her happiness was that her marefriend Trixie Lulamoon had returned from her job as a traveling showmare. The blue unicorn had surprised Twilight Sparkle with a breakfast in bed and they had spent a little bit of time together. Unfortunately Trixie was not with the purple pony at the moment. Instead she was busy hanging out with Twilight Sparkle's friend Rainbow Dash. This made the alicorn both very happy and extremely nervous.

Twilight Sparkle was happy that Trixie was spending time with her friends. It really pleased her to see the unicorn get along so well with the others especially since her first two visits to Ponyville hadn't exactly been very pleasant. It was a relief for Twilight Sparkle when her friends had forgiven Trixie for the things she had done during her time as the small town's dictator. Trixie had enjoyed spending time with the other ponies and she had started to become very close to Rainbow Dash. This was what was causing Twilight Sparkle to worry.

Despite being pleased to see Trixie getting along with Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle knew that the pegasus wasn't the most careful of ponies. While Rainbow Dash would never try to hurt Trixie, she was a very reckless pony that enjoyed performing dangerous stunts. Reluctantly, Twilight Sparkle had put a cloudwalk spell on the blue unicorn but she had reminded Rainbow Dash that Trixie wasn't a pegasus like her. After being told that Rainbow Dash's middle name was 'Responsibility', Twilight Sparkle allowed the duo to spend some time at Rainbow Dash's cloud castle in the sky above Ponyville. The purple alicorn left the zebra's hut and prayed that Trixie would still be in one piece after her day with Rainbow Dash.

Meanwhile Rainbow Dash and Trixie were in the skies above Ponyville. Trixie had been incredibly nervous about stepping onto clouds for the first time in her life but she put her trust in Twilight Sparkle's spell and she was positive that Rainbow Dash would be there in case the spell ran out too soon. Rainbow Dash had shown Trixie around her house and then the showmare offered to use her magic to make Rainbow Dash's stunts even more astounding.

"So you're sure this is gonna work?" Rainbow Dash asked eagerly.

"Trixie is positive." Trixie replied as she cast her spell. "Trixie's magic shall transform your rainbow trail into something far more impressive. Trixie assures you that you shall be pleased by what this spell shall do."

"All right I'll give it a shot." Rainbow Dash said. She bent her legs and took to the skies. Trixie watched the rainbow maned pegasus fly through the skies doing loops, rolls, and other things to increase her speed. Soon enough a mach cone had formed around the light blue winged pony and then something incredible happened. Instead of her usual rainbow trail following behind her, Rainbow Dash's moves were mirrored by multicolored afterimages of herself. The pegasus pony was stunned and impressed by what she was seeing. Trixie's magic had really made her stunts more impressive than they usually were. Rainbow Dash flew high and fast as her afterimages shined in every color of the rainbow behind her. Finally the rainbow maned pegasus landed on the cloud and gave Trixie a hoof bump to show her appreciation.

"That was awesome Trix!" she shouted.

"Trix?" Trixie repeated in a rather confused tone as she looked at the light blue pony curiously.

"Just a nickname." Rainbow Dash told her. "Do ya like it?"

"It is better than any nicknames that Trixie could have come up with." Trixie admitted. "Though she would prefer to be called Trixie instead."

"All my friends get nicknames." Rainbow Dash told her. "It's just what I do."

Trixie smiled a little as she heard this. Rainbow Dash had had the biggest grudge against her so she was glad that the two of them could be friends. The rainbow maned pegasus had treated Trixie almost like a sister in a way. She also told Trixie to call her Dash since they were friends. The two ponies knew that Trixie's cloudwalk spell was almost out of time so they'd need to get back down to the ground quickly.

"So Dash." Trixie said. "Just how is Trixie supposed to get down from here?"

"Well, you could always open up that cape of yours and use it like a parachute." Rainbow Dash suggested jokingly.

Trixie looked at Rainbow Dash and then she glanced at her purple starry cape. She had worn her stage outfit because it took away her nervousness about being on clouds for the first time. The cape and hat she wore provided Trixie with a sense of protection as if her parents were watching over her and keeping her safe. A thoughtful expression formed on the showmare's face as she looked down towards the ground below her. Rainbow Dash's smile quickly turned into a worried look as she noticed that Trixie was taking her joke much more seriously than she would have liked.

"Uhhh Trix you know that was just a joke right?" Rainbow Dash asked her unicorn friend nervously. "You're not really gonna try it are ya?"

"Why not?" Trixie asked as an enthusiastic smile grew on her face. "It could make for a dramatic entrance at Trixie's next performance."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and grinned. She took to the skies and was ready to catch Trixie at any moment. The showmare took off her cape, adjusted her hat so that it wouldn't slip, stood on her hind legs, and then she jumped off of the cloud and descended towards the ground. She held her cape in her hooves and it caught the wind perfectly. The purple cloak slowed Trixie's descent to a very relaxed pace. Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of what seemed very much like relief as she saw that Trixie was perfectly fine.

Meanwhile Twilight Sparkle was sitting at an outdoor table reading a new book. This newly acquired book detailed the history of ponies who had lived a successful career of performing like Trixie did. Twilight Sparkle had enjoyed the time that she had spent as Trixie's apprentice and she really liked performing on stage. Unfortunately for the purple alicorn, her princess duties kept her from starting even a part time career as a showmare. Twilight Sparkle's few performances had been limited to very small shows that she put on for her friends. All of them really enjoyed watching the smalltime showmare perform as The Great and Powerful Twilight. Twilight Sparkle was now waiting for Trixie to hang out with her. She had bought this book because she thought that both of them could find it interesting. Twilight Sparkle brought a glass of cider to her lips as she glanced at the sky. What she saw almost made her spit out her drink on a picture of the world renowned showpony Harry Hoofini. Twilight Sparkle rose from her seat and rubbed her eyes as if to confirm that what she was seeing was actually existing.

Trixie Lulamoon was gliding down towards her with her purple starry cape held above her. Rainbow Dash was flying next to her and it seemed like she was trying hard not to laugh. The blue unicorn was using her cape like a parachute as she moved gracefully through the air, descending slowly all the while. Trixie grinned as she spotted Twilight Sparkle and within a few moments, she landed perfectly into the purple alicorn's outstretched forelegs. Smiling from ear to ear, Trixie put her cape back on and looked upwards at the disapproving face of Twilight Sparkle.

"Trixie what were you thinking?" Twilight Sparkle asked angrily. "You could have been hurt!"

"Trixie assures you that she was careful." Trixie replied. Her smile had faltered a little bit but it remained on her face. "Besides Dash was there to catch Trixie if she fell."

"That's not the point!" Twilight Sparkle snapped as her gaze turned towards Rainbow Dash. "I thought your name was 'Rainbow Responsibility Dash'." she continued as her voice dripped sarcasm on the last three words.

"Jeez Twi." Rainbow Dash replied. "Trixie's fine. I wasn't gonna let her get hurt."

"Trixie why did you have to scare me like that?" Twilight Sparkle said as she looked towards the showmare that she was still holding in her forelegs.

Trixie's smile had gone but she was grinning mentally. As mad as Twilight Sparkle was, she should have dropped Trixie right onto the ground. However she was still holding the showmare in her forelegs so Trixie knew that she could still win this battle.

"Trixie was foolish." she said as her smile was replaced by a small pout. "She thought that this would make for a grand entrance for her performances. You can forgive Trixie. Can't you?"

As she asked this, Trixie looked up at Twilight Sparkle with a small pout on her face as her eyes pretended to water with tears. Trixie gazed at Twilight Sparkle and kept her facial expression the same. She could see the purple alicorn's disapproving glance begin to fade and she barely resisted the urge to grin. Trixie knew that Twilight Sparkle was just unable to resist her when she acted cute. The purple alicorn glanced at the showmare and sighed.

_She's lucky she's so cute. _Twilight Sparkle thought to herself.

"Sure Trixie." she said. "I forgive you."

Trixie smiled and then she gave Twilight Sparkle a peck on the cheek. Twilight Sparkle had a blush on her face as she looked at her marefriend. She returned Trixie's kiss with one of her own. The purple alicorn smiled at the blush that was showing on the showmare's face.

"And that's my cue to get outta here." Rainbow Dash mumbled as she soared into the sky. Neither of the two ponies noticed that she had left since they were too busy staring at each other. Rainbow Dash may have had a marefriend of her own but she still wasn't much of a fan of romance. The rainbow maned pegasus never truly cared much for the mushy actions and words that were associated with romance.

"You're still holding Trixie." the blue unicorn said slyly. Trixie grinned upwards at her marefriend as she relaxed in her the warm comfort of her forelegs. Trixie felt comfortable when she was around Twilight Sparkle. The showmare cared deeply for her alicorn marefriend.

"You know I think I like holding you like this." Twilight Sparkle said in a similar tone with a smile on her face. Twilight Sparkle did like holding Trixie in her forelegs. To her it felt sort of like cuddling. She smiled down at the showmare that was grinning upwards at her.

"Well, if you like holding Trixie so much then perhaps you can carry her." Trixie said. She quickly clambered onto the purple pony's back and wrapped her forelegs around her neck. Twilight Sparkle smiled, shook her head, and walked off into the town square. Trixie held onto her with a rather cute smile on her face. Once the duo arrived they noticed that a huge crowd of ponies had already formed inside of the town square. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie met up with the rest of their friends who had gotten together near the front of the crowd. All of them were curious to find out what was going on. The mayor of Ponyville stepped up to a podium and spoke to the crowd of ponies. All the others knew was that the mayor had called a town meeting to discuss something. Nopony knew what the mayor wanted to say.

"Good afternoon everypony." the mayor greeted with a grin on her face. "I am sure that you all want to know why I have asked you here. I have an announcement to make and I am certain that all of you will be as excited as I am. Today I have the honor to announce that Ponyville shall be hosting the first annual PonyKart Derby!"

This statement was received with thunderous cheers from the whole crowd of ponies. Each and every single pony was excited to compete in this race. Sensing their excitement, the mayor continued her speech.

"Anypony who wishes to race must know that you shall be racing in teams of two." the mayor said. "Several teams from all across Equestria shall be arriving to Ponyville in a few week's time. Once all the teams have arrived, several races shall be held to decide which twelve teams will qualify for the derby. The winning team shall receive a grand prize of twenty-thousand bits. I want to wish each and every one of you the best of luck."

With that, the mayor stepped away from the podium and walked away. Instantly a babble broke out as many ponies started to get excited about the race and were quickly forming teams. The Mane Six and their friends got together and they were just as excited as the rest of the town.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Are you guys as excited as I am?"

All of her friends nodded in agreement. Quickly they decided who would team up. Twilight Sparkle decided to work with Trixie while Spike nervously asked Rarity to be his teammate. With a warm smile on her face, Rarity gratefully accepted Spike's offer and more teams were formed. Meanwhile two stallions were excited about the race but it wasn't just winning that was on their mind.

"Did you hear that dear brother?" one of them asked.

"I sure did my brother." the other answered.

"This race should be fun eh Flam?" the first asked.

"That it will be dear Flim." Flam responded.

Both of the stallions grinned as they remembered why they were racing. They noticed that the purple alicorn Twilight Sparkle had decided to join the race which made them grin. Their plan involved her and even if they lost the race they would earn a large sum of money should they be successful. The fast talking brothers walked off and decided to prepare their kart for the big race.


	2. Chapter 2: Qualifiers

**Chapter 2: Qualifiers**

Over the course of the next few weeks, the thoughts of nearly everypony in Ponyville were focused on the race. Each and every single team wanted to be the one that won the race. Ponies quickly formed teams with friends or family and they got to work on assembling their go karts. Vinyl Scratch quickly teamed up with her marefriend Octavia while the six members of The Cutie Mark Crusaders teamed with each other. Snips and Snails decided to team up too but they had several problems assembling their go kart.

Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were working together to build the best vehicle that they possibly could. Thankfully Twilight Sparkle's experience with science proved helpful as she designed the kart that the duo would ride in. Trixie was eager to help and the duo talked with each other as they worked. Their vehicle had a design that combined the styles of both of their stage outfits. The kart shined in different shades of purple and it had several stars decorating its surface.

"Trixie really enjoys spending time with you Twilight." Trixie said as the duo used their magic to levitate the vehicle's engine into place.

"I really like being with you too Trixie." Twilight Sparkle replied as she made an adjustment to the engine's position.

"Trixie wishes that she had more time to spend with you." Trixie muttered. "Perhaps Trixie could take a small break from her performances."

Twilight Sparkle immediately stopped working and she stared at Trixie with a firm expression. While she was slightly touched that Trixie would consider taking time off of work for her, she did not want Trixie to put her career in even the slightest jeopardy. She knew that Trixie loved being a showmare and she didn't want the blue unicorn to give up her dream. Trixie's career as a showmare was comparable to Rainbow Dash's desire to join The Wonderbolts as well as Rarity's passion for fashion. Twilight Sparkle wasn't going to let Trixie give up something that she loved so much.

"Trixie don't talk like that." Twilight Sparkle said seriously. "Being a showmare is your dream and I won't let you give that up for me." The two ponies looked each other in they eyes as the alicorn continued speaking. "Believe me I love spending time with you but your happiness means more to me than anything else. Besides, it makes our time together even more special when it's a special occasion."

Trixie smiled as she continued working on the vehicle and a small blush had appeared on her face when she realized that Twilight Sparkle had used that word that she hadn't yet used: love.

Meanwhile Lightning Dust was working with Applejack to get their vehicle ready. Being partners with the cowgirl was not the daredevil's first choice but it was the best choice she had since Rainbow Dash and Gilda had already teamed up with each other. Aside from the pegasus and the griffon, Applejack was easily Lightning Dust's greatest friend. The duo was extremely eager to race against their friends and both were certain that they would win. Their vehicle had been painted in a teal color that was similar to Lightning Dust's body color. Orange flames had been painted on the front of the kart and the sides had been decorated with several lightning bolts. The engine as well as the exhaust pipes in the back of the vehicle had been painted in a golden color like Lightning Dust's mane. The duo was certain that their kart would carry them to victory.

Other teams were building their go karts as well. Rainbow Dash and Gilda had put together one of the fastest karts in the entire world of Equestria. Each go kart would be given boosters as part of the race so the two fliers were very excited to see just how fast they could go. Their kart had been painted in a simple blue color. Neither of them cared much about how their kart looked. Spike and Rarity's go kart wasn't as fast as the others but it truly was a sight to see. Rarity had focused on making the vehicle look good while Spike made sure that it was as quick as it was pretty. Each duo from The Cutie Mark Crusaders had very unique looking go karts. The kart driven by Scootaloo and Apple Bloom as well as the one used by Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed were painted in a similar fashion to the rock band outfits that they wore. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon opted for a much less eye catching vehicle. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy had a bright pink go kart that had been designed quite well. Fluttershy had been nervous when the party pony had asked her to join her team but she couldn't bring herself to refuse. Every team worked on their go karts until the day of the qualifying races.

After a few weeks, the other teams began to arrive. Their go karts had already been built so they were just waiting for the race to begin. These teams came from all sorts of places ranging from massive cities like Canterlot to small towns like Appleloosa. Each and every team was excited and determined to win. The night before the qualifying races saw all of the teams turning in early for a good night's sleep. The night passed by quickly and soon the sun slowly began to rise into the sky above Ponyville.

The next day began and forty teams of ponies woke up with excitement filling their minds. Each and every team was eager to get behind the wheel of their go karts and win the race. Before they could take part in the derby however, they needed to win the qualifier. The forty teams had been split into four groups and each group would race against each other. They would all take part in a simple race and the top three teams would advance to the big race. The track they would use was a simple oval shaped circuit. Each team needed to complete three laps around the ring.

The first ten teams got into two rows of five and were waiting for the signal to begin the race. Rainbow Dash and Gilda were in the front row on the left side. Behind the duo were their friends Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Gilda looked to her right and her eyes widened. She gave Rainbow Dash a nudge and the pegasus' jaw dropped when she saw that the kart next to them was occupied by Spitfire and Soarin. The Wonderbolt Captain looked at Rainbow Dash and grinned. The two pegasi didn't have much time to chat because an official had gotten into the spectator's platform next to the starting line.

"Ponies." he said. "Start your engines!"

Instantly the roars of ten engines were heard along with the cheers of the crowd. All of the ponies who were waiting for their race were eager to see who they could be competing against. Along with the other racers the stands were filled with excited ponies. A set of lights placed in front of the competitors flashed red then yellow and then they turned to green to signify that the race had begun.

Rainbow Dash immediately pressed down on the gas pedal and their kart took off with nine other karts right behind them. Gilda held on to the back of the kart and she was ready to swap at any time. The karts were built to allow the two drivers to switch positions at any time. The pony in front would drive the kart while the pony in the back would use the boosters as needed. Rainbow Dash and Gilda were in the lead with Spitfire and Soarin right behind them. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were in third place and they were barely holding their position. The first lap ended and the two Wonderbolts had narrowed the gap between themselves and the two fliers.

"It's been a while Dash." Spitfire said as she tried to pass the duo.

"Hope you don't mind us winning." Soarin continued with a grin.

Rainbow Dash grinned as she cut her idols off. She might have admired Spitfire but she wasn't going to let her win if she could avoid it. Gilda had her talon ready to press the button that would trigger the boosters. Rainbow Dash waited for a moment and then she gave the griffon her signal. Instantly Gilda pressed the button and their kart was pushed forwards at blazing fast speeds. The duo left Spitfire and Soarin in the dust as they rounded the fourth corner and started their final lap. Meanwhile Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had caught up with The Wonderbolts and they were trying to get into second place. However Spitfire and Soarin were not going to let that happen. The top three teams rounded the final corner and Rainbow Dash and Gilda took first place with The Wonderbolts behind them and Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy earning third place. The crowd cheered as they saw the names of the top three teams displayed on a sign and they waited for the next race to begin.

After a few moments, the crowd began to cheer again. The next ten teams had made their way onto the track. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were in the center of the back row with Spike and Rarity right in front of them. Snips and Snails were on their right while the kart on their left side held Princess Celestia as well as Princess Luna. All of the teams were ready to race and the lights began to flash. Spike held the steering wheel in his hands as the light flashed yellow. The lights turned green and nine teams sped from the starting line. Snips and Snails however had some troubles. A puff of smoke was seen and their engine died completely. The two colts did everything that they could but their kart simply wouldn't run. They pushed the vehicle off of the track and lamented the fact that they had lost without even having a chance to race.

Meanwhile Spike and Rarity had taken the lead but it was short lived. The Goddesses of Sun and Moon had passed right by them and their kart was able to give them a huge lead. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie had made their way into third place and they were rounding the fourth corner when they caught up with Spike and Rarity. The second lap was underway and The Princesses were still in the lead but Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were quickly gaining ground on the two of them.

"Rarity now!" Spike yelled as they made it onto a straightaway several seconds after the other two teams.

Rarity pressed a button and the duo's go kart rocketed forward. They sped along the track and quickly caught up with the top two teams. The three go karts rounded the fourth corner once again and the final lap began. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie kept their lead up and used their booster whenever they could. They managed to put a large amount of distance between themselves and the other teams. They rounded the final turn and were the clear winners of the race, Spike and Rarity managed to take second place while Princess Celestia and Princess Luna took third. The audience cheered for the teams as they made their way off of the track. Only two more races were left and then the big race would be able to start.

The third group of teams pulled onto the track and the crowd roared. Situated in the center of the front line was the team of Applejack and Lightning Dust. The daredevil had taken the wheel while the cowgirl was in control of the switch that would trigger the boosters. Vinyl Scratch and Octavia were on the far right of the front row and they were ready to race. The DJ unicorn put on a pair of goggles that were very similar to her sunglasses while the cellist nervously held the back of the kart. Lightning Dust and Applejack had confident grins on their faces but both of them groaned when they saw who was next to them. Flim and Flam had pulled their kart next to the duo and both of them were smiling. Applejack gave the two stallions a glare of loathing while Lightning Dust made sure that they knew she was watching them. The daredevil had become fond of Applejack and as such she hated the duo for trying to destroy her family's business and run them out of town. The lights flashed from red to yellow and then to green. The ten go karts blasted off from the starting line and the race was on.

Lightning Dust was definitely extremely skilled behind the wheel of a go kart. She pushed the vehicle to its fullest potential and quickly took the lead. Right behind them were Flim and Flam followed by Vinyl Scratch and Octavia. The other teams were having some issues with their karts. Some of the karts had had their tires popped while others were having engine troubles. Flim and Flam were chuckling to themselves as they looked behind them. At this rate, it would be smooth sailing for them. As long as their go kart crossed the finish line they'd be in the race. The second lap began and only three of the ten teams were still in the race. Vinyl Scratch was dodging past the many obstacles that were in her path. The back of Flim and Flam's vehicle was designed in a way that prevented the DJ from seeing that they were the ones dropping those obstacles in the first place. Octavia was holding on for dear life as her marefriend was doing everything in her power to keep them in the race. The third lap commenced and the other teams had already pushed their karts off of the track. Applejack was glaring at the two stallions behind her as Lightning Dust kept driving as fast as she could. Somehow the cowgirl knew that Flim and Flam weren't playing fair but there was nothing that she could do about it. Much to her relief, Applejack realized that she and Lightning Dust had won the race. Flim and Flam had taken second while Vinyl Scratch and Octavia won third place by default.

The crowd was getting anxious as they watched these races. So far nine teams had made the cut so only three spots were left open. The ponies in the stands were eagerly awaiting the fourth and final qualifying race. They cheered at the top of their lungs as they saw the ten teams make their way onto the track. Side by side at the front of the pack were the teams of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed, and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The six fillies were excited to race against each other and they were determined to win. The lights changed from red to yellow and then to green as ten teams sped off one last time.

Despite being much younger than their competitors, The Cutie Mark Crusaders were extremely skilled at driving. They quickly took the lead and they left their opponents in the dust. The purple and black go kart driven by the singer and guitarist of the rock band was in first. Following closely behind the duo were Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed. The kart driven by the keyboardist and drummer of the foursome had been painted in pink, bright green, and red. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were in third and their go kart was painted in the same shade of purple as Diamond Tiara's mane. The trim of the vehicle had been painted silver by the bespectacled filly. Each of the six young ponies had smiles on their faces as they rounded each turn with ease. They kept their lead throughout the rest of the first and second laps and they were still in front when the final lap started.

"This is awesome!" Scootaloo shouted as she rounded the corner. A grin was showing on the purple clad pegasus' face as she swerved around the second turn.

"Ah'm having so much fun." Apple Bloom cheered as she held onto the kart with one hoof and kept a tight grip on her headpiece with the other hoof. The four members of the rock band had decided to wear their stage outfits. There was no real reason for it but they felt that they might as well match the design of their go karts. Sweetie Belle's bright emerald green eyes which were surrounded by pink makeup were narrowed in fierce determination. Babs Seed was holding onto the back of the go kart and she was laughing hysterically. The red clad pony was having the time of her life. Sweetie Belle had told her that racing in go karts was a ton of fun and she wasn't lying. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon smiled as they followed the young rock stars around the third corner. The six fillies rounded the final turn and the race was over. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom had won the race with Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed taking second place. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon earned a third place finish and they were proud of themselves. The audience cheered as the twelve teams that had won made their way onto a raised platform that was placed in the very center of the racetrack. Tomorrow each of the teams would compete in the big race to see who would win the grand prize. The crowd left the stadium while the teams ate a good dinner and went to bed early for a good night's rest.


	3. Chapter 3: The Race Part 1

**Chapter 3: The Race Part 1**

Morning came quickly as the sun rose into the sky above Ponyville. The light from the sun shined down on the small town as its citizens woke from their slumber and started their day. The twelve teams that had qualified for the race were preparing themselves while other ponies were getting excited at seeing the event. The teams that did not make the cut were still in Ponyville but they were disappointed that they had lost. Each pony was eager to see the race that would begin in a few short hours. The twelve teams made their way towards the track and inspected their vehicles. All of the karts had been stored inside of a garage to prevent other teams from sabotaging their competitors. The racers were inside of their vehicles and were waiting to be allowed onto the track. Slowly the stands began to fill with excited spectators and the race was close to starting. Though the rules for this race were the same as with the qualifier, the track that would be used was much different from the other track.

This track was not just a simple oval. Instead it twisted and turned all over the place. It was much longer than the track that had been used for the qualifying round. Many unicorns had used their magic to set it up and it was very obvious why that was necessary. Portions of the track were covered by tunnels and there were several large gaps that the karts would have to jump over. If a team failed to clear a gap they would fall into the pit below and their position would suffer immensely. They wouldn't be out of the running but they would fall way behind. There were very few guardrails along the edges of the track so it was quite easy to go off road. There were also several times were the track would split into separate paths and then rejoin later on. Thankfully the teams only had to drive around the racetrack one time instead of three laps. The magic of the unicorns provided the audience with the ability to watch the teams race through every section of the track. Everypony in the stands was excited to see how the race would play out.

An official entered the room and told the teams to drive their karts onto the track. The twelve vehicles left the garage and pulled out onto the track. The audience roared in excitement as they watched the twenty-four competitors pull into their positions. The front row was occupied by the teams that had taken first place in the qualifiers. Rainbow Dash and Gilda sat in their blue kart at the far left end of the row while Twilight Sparkle and Trixie pulled up next to them. The team of Lightning Dust and Applejack was positioned right next to the two showmares and the kart on their right held Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. Spitfire and Soarin pulled in right behind Rainbow Dash and Gilda while Rarity and Spike drove up next to them. Flim and Flam were positioned behind the daredevil and the cowgirl while Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed were on the far right of the second row. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were situated behind The Wonderbolts and they were right next to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Vinyl Scratch and Octavia drove their neon blue go kart behind Flim and Flam's yellow vehicle while Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were positioned behind their friends. All twelve teams were ready to race and they were waiting for the official to step onto his podium and begin the race.

After a few moments, the audience went wild as the official pony walked onto his raised platform.

"Ponies." he shouted into a microphone. "Start your engines."

He stepped up to a machine and pressed a switch. The lights overhead flashed a bold bright red and the many racers revved their engines. Their eyes were fixed on the lights as they turned to yellow. Determined grins grew on the faces of Rainbow Dash, Gilda, Lightning Dust, The Wonderbolts, and The Cutie Mark Crusaders. The other racers were excited as well but Flim and Flam had different emotions. They were grinning but there was something odd about the way they smiled. Instead of grinning in anticipation like the others, the two stallions were smiling mischievously. The teams gave each other cocky glances and then the lights turned to green as the audience roared. Instantly twelve go karts sped from the starting line. Huge clouds of smoke were left behind as the teams quickly began the race. The audience cheered and watched the progress of the teams.

The twelve teams were speeding down the track as they battled for the lead. After a few moments, Rainbow Dash and Gilda had managed to take first place but Lightning Dust and Applejack were right behind them. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were in third place and the three teams that made up The Cutie Mark Crusaders were in fourth fifth and sixth respectively. The Wonderbolts were in seventh but Vinyl Scratch and Octavia were right behind them. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were in ninth place with Rarity and Spike following close behind. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were in eleventh while the team of Flim and Flam was in last place. The twelve teams came to the first split and half of the teams took the left path while the other six teams went to the right.

Rainbow Dash and Gilda were in first place but Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were right behind them. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and The Wonderbolts had decided to follow the two teams down the left path. The other path was blocked from view by a tunnel so there was no way for them to tell what was happening with the other teams. Suddenly their path was lit up as they were outside and their path was crisscrossing with the other path. Rainbow Dash and Gilda drove fast and they barely avoided colliding with the teal kart driven by Lightning Dust and Applejack. The other teams were also narrowly avoiding collisions as they sped through the many intersections. An extremely close call caused Gilda to utter a Grifforian exclamation. What it meant Rainbow Dash didn't know but she kept driving. Finally the two paths ended with a ramp that Rainbow Dash and Gilda used to get to the other side of the gap. The rest of the teams jumped the gap with ease and their positions hadn't changed in the slightest since the start of the race.

The track widened to allow a lot more room for passing. Pinkie Pie drove her kart surprisingly well as she sped into second place. Flim and Flam passed The Princesses but they were still behind the team of Spike and Rarity. The team of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were right next to The Wonderbolts. Despite having no interest in joining the team of fliers, the purple clad pegasus couldn't help but be a little starstruck. Being next to the ponies that her idol Rainbow Dash worshipped was definitely an experience for her. Spitfire smiled at her which made Scootaloo blush furiously. She was a fan of The Wonderbolts and Spitfire happened to be her favorite. Scootaloo might have idolized Rainbow Dash but Spitfire was a legend among Equestria's pegasus population. The young pegasus made a mental note to try and get Spitfire's autograph when the race was over. The track split into several separate paths and the teams went their separate ways as they continued the race.

"How are we doin' G?" Rainbow Dash asked as she pressed down on the gas pedal. The track had no guardrails so Rainbow Dash was doing everything she could to make sure that their kart didn't go off course.

"Can't see the others but Lightning's ahead of us." Gilda replied as they tried to pass the daredevil and the cowgirl who were barely ahead of them. "And I've got Pinkie on my tail." she said. "Literally." she added in a slightly irritated tone as she turned around. "Get off my tail!"

Pinkie Pie shook her head which only annoyed Gilda even more. The party pony was so close to the griffon that her tail was right in her face. Pinkie Pie solved this problem by grabbing Gilda's tail in her mouth. After a few moments, Gilda managed to get her tail out of Pinkie Pie's grip and then Rainbow Dash drove away from the party pony. Their path rejoined with the other paths and they saw their competitors. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie had taken the lead with Lightning Dust and Applejack behind them. Rainbow Dash and Gilda had dropped to third place with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy trailing behind them. The Wonderbolts were in fifth place and they were being tailed by Flim and Flam. In seventh place was the team of Vinyl Scratch and Octavia and they were being followed by The Cutie Mark Crusaders. The Princesses were in eleventh place still and they were barely ahead of Rarity and Spike. The dragon was driving as fast as he possibly could but their kart was built more for handling than it was for speed.

Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were still in the lead several minutes later. Neither of them wore their stage outfits since they weren't very aerodynamic but both of them were having the time of their lives. Trixie used the booster and their lead increased. Lightning Dust and Applejack as well as Rainbow Dash and Gilda used their boosters too and they were quickly catching up with the two showmares. The rest of the teams were behind them and they were all trying to get into first place. At the very back of the back was the yellow go kart being driven by the two stallions Flim and Flam.

The two stallions were grinning to themselves. Sure they were in last place but that would change very soon. They looked at each other and smiled. The brothers' grins were of a mischievous and troublemaking nature. What they were planning was of a sinister sort of nature.

"Time to put our plan into action eh brother?" Flim said with a smirk as he slowly gained ground on The Princesses.

"I think you're right my brother." Flam replied with a chuckle as his hoof moved to press a switch.

Grinning broadly to themselves, the stallions prepared the wide variety of illegal weapons that their yellow go kart was equipped with. They set their sights on the team that would be their first target and they quickly started gaining on the team of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The Goddesses of Sun and Moon were completely oblivious to the two scheming stallions behind them. Both Flim and Flam laughed a little bit as they waited for just the right moment.


	4. Chapter 4: The Race Part 2

**Chapter 4: The Race Part 2**

The race continued as twelve teams kept pushing their go karts as much as they could in order to win the race. At the front of the pack, Rainbow Dash and Gilda had just taken the lead from Twilight Sparkle and Trixie. The showmare and her apprentice were right behind the two fliers while Applejack and Lightning Dust were gaining on them. Vinyl Scratch and Octavia had managed to get into fourth place after passing The Wonderbolts. Behind the two members of the flying team were Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. The singer and the guitarist were doing everything that they could to pass by The Wonderbolts but Spitfire wasn't going to let that happen. Meanwhile Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed were in a battle for seventh place with Rarity and Spike. Behind the unicorn and the dragon were Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy as well as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The Princesses were catching up with the two fillies but Flim and Flam weren't going to let them win.

The go kart driven by the two stallions had been modified with several illegal weapons. None of the additions were approved by the racing staff but they were hidden well enough so that the duo couldn't be disqualified. Flam pressed a switch and the front of the go kart was covered by a set of spikes. Flim used his controls to lower the spikes to the level of the tires on The Princesses' kart. Grinning maliciously to themselves, Flim and Flam sped up and they started gaining on The Goddesses.

Princess Celestia was driving as fast as she could in an attempt to catch up with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Princess Luna was holding on to the back of the kart and she was ready to use the booster when it was needed. The roar of the kart's engine prevented either of the alicorns from hearing a popping sound. When their kart was passed by Flim and Flam, Princess Luna used the booster. However instead of speeding up, their kart began slowing down.

"What is happening?" Princess Celestia asked.

"I don't know." Princess Luna replied.

Their kart came to a complete stop and the duo couldn't get it moving again. The rest of the teams were out of sight and The Princesses knew that they had pretty much lost the race by this point. Princess Luna hopped off the kart and she gasped in shock when she looked at the back tires. The wheels had been shredded beyond any repair. Not even their magic would be able to fix them. Once she was informed of this Princess Celestia sighed in defeat. Thankfully each team had been given a flare to be used to signal emergency crews to help them. The Sun Goddess used the flare and all the duo could do was wait for their kart to be towed off of the track. Soon enough a service kart came to them and pulled them off of the track and back to the starting line. The crowd was disappointed when they saw that The Princesses had been eliminated so early in the race. However there were still eleven teams in the running. Unbeknownst to the audience, Flim and Flam were working to reduce that number.

Flim and Flam chuckled a bit as they started catching up with the other teams. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were just ahead of the stallions but they were going to change that very quickly. They accelerated forwards and they soon passed by the two fillies. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon tried to pass the duo but then a set of nails were deployed from the underside of the yellow kart and all four of the tires on the fillies' kart were popped. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's kart slowed and then stopped. After a few minutes of failed attempts at restarting their kart, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon gave up and used their flare. The service kart pulled alongside them and got them back to the safety of the starting line. A few members of the crowd were disappointed at the duo's loss but they kept watching the rest of the teams as they raced onwards. Despite being able to see each kart, the audience was unable to see the illegal weapons that were being used by Flim and Flam. The stallions had designed the weapons to be concealed at all times so that nopony would be able to know that they were cheating.

The race went on and Rainbow Dash and Gilda still held the lead. However Lightning Dust and Applejack had been hit by The Wonderbolts and they spun out which caused them to drop down into fifth place. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were right behind them while Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy had passed by the duo. The other half of the young rock band was trailing just behind the two fillies. Spike and Rarity were behind Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed and they were slowly gaining on them. The young dragon was starting to get more comfortable behind the wheel and he was certain that he and Rarity could win this race. Flim and Flam however begged to differ.

The two stallions swerved next to Spike and Rarity and rammed into them. Spike glared angrily at the duo and then he swerved a bit away so that he could ram them back. Flim and Flam chuckled and then the latter pressed a button which deployed a spring from the side of their go kart. The spring bounced Spike and Rarity away and then the duo flew off the track and their tires were popped by a particularly sharp rock on the side of the road. Rarity's magic was unable to fix the wheels so the duo was forced to quit. Flim and Flam chuckled as they continued their progress. They made their way through the track and they quickly made their way into fifth place. Ahead of the duo were the teams of Rainbow Dash and Gilda, Twilight Sparkle and Trixie, Spitfire and Soarin, and Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Behind the two stallions were the duos of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed, Vinyl Scratch and Octavia, and Lightning Dust and Applejack. The remaining nine teams kept driving quickly and then they split apart as the track separated into two covered paths. The top four teams took the left path while the remaining five took the path that led to the right. Flim and Flam grinned as they readied their next weapon.

A small cannon appeared on the back of the kart and it shot a blast of magic at the roof of the tunnel. The ceiling started to crack and the two stallions drove off. Vinyl Scratch and Octavia drove through the tunnel and then the ceiling came crashing down. The chunks of track barely missed the two musicians and it blocked the road behind them. Both Vinyl Scratch and Octavia wanted to help the other teams but there was nothing they could do for them. The go karts driven by The Cutie Mark Crusaders screeched to a halt as they noticed the blockade. The shards of the ceiling scratched up their tires and the fillies knew that the wheels wouldn't survive much longer. Meanwhile Lightning Dust and Applejack were making their way up the path. The cowgirl noticed the blockade and she tried to get her teammate to stop.

"Roadblock Lightning!" she yelled in a panicked tone.

Lightning Dust looked upwards a bit and saw that part of the ceiling was still attached to the tunnel. Her golden eyes scanned the scene and she grinned broadly.

"Not for me." she said in a confident tone. She told Applejack to get the booster ready and to hold on tight. Applejack gripped the kart while, the daredevil waited for just the right moment and then she told the cowgirl to press the button. Instantly the kart sped up and Lightning Dust used their speed to climb the walls of the tunnel. She drove up the side of the tunnel and then the kart was completely upside down. Lightning Dust drove down the other side of the tunnel and then the duo was on the other side of the roadblock. The daredevil was grinning broadly as she drove through the rest of the tunnel. Soon they met up with the rest of the teams and the field had been narrowed from twelve to seven.

Flim and Flam were beside themselves with excitement. They had already beaten five of their eleven competitors. Only six more remained though there was one team that they did not want to sabotage. The two stallions had to remind themselves that they weren't there to win. Grinning a little to themselves, the brothers set their sights on their next target which was the team of Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.

Pinkie Pie sounded like she was having the time of her life as she swerved, curved, and drove like a total maniac. She was having a lot of fun during this race and she liked racing against her friends. Fluttershy was holding on for dear life and she was praying that nopony would get hurt by the pink pony's reckless and haphazard driving style. Neither of them noticed Flim and Flam sneaking up behind them. The duo deployed their spikes and the tires on the pink go kart were shredded and the two mares slammed into the guardrail. Their kart was rendered unable to drive and they were forced to use their flare and wait to be towed. Lightning Dust and Applejack saw the entire thing but they decided to wait before they tried to take down Flim and Flam. Both the daredevil and the cowgirl knew that the two stallions were very cunning so taking them on alone would be a very foolish decision.

The two yellow ponies were driving along with Applejack and Lightning Dust right behind them. They would have used their spikes to take care of the duo but they had only packed enough for one usage and they had already used them on Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Flim and Flam decided to ignore the cowgirl and the daredevil for now and instead focus on the rest of the teams. The Wonderbolts were just ahead of them and Flim and Flam were ready with their next trap. They drove up until they were next to the two pegasi and they used their spring again. Spitfire however managed to regain control of the kart and she kept it on track. She rammed into Flim and Flam and they fought back. Spitfire swerved away and was readying herself to deliver a much more powerful slam. She swerved her kart to hit the two stallions but they slammed on the brakes. Spitfire was still moving forwards so she passed right by Flim and Flam and then she slammed into a wall with a crunch, causing the kart's engine to sputter a little and die. The two stallions laughed as they moved onwards. Lightning Dust gave Spitfire a gaze that The Wonderbolt Captain returned. For the brief moment that their eyes connected, the message between the two pegasus ponies was clear. Just by using her facial expressions, Lightning Dust was able to tell Spitfire that she'd take care of Flim and Flam. Then the daredevil sped off while Soarin used the flare. The service kart pulled them off of the track and the audience let out a groan of disappointment when they saw that The Wonderbolts had been eliminated. Many of the spectators had been rooting for the duo and now they had lost. The audience kept watching the remaining five teams as they made their way through the rest of the track.

Applejack and Lightning Dust were trailing behind Flim and Flam. Both the daredevil and the cowgirl were keeping a watchful eye out for any more booby traps that the stallions could use. They saw the remaining four teams up ahead and then Flim and Flam set their sights on an approaching tunnel. Flim and Flam used their boosters to reach the tunnel ahead of the other teams. Their cannon fire out a small sphere of magic which stuck to the ceiling of the tunnel. The duo kept on driving and they were laughing hysterically.

Meanwhile Vinyl Scratch and Octavia were in second place and they had entered the tunnel. The sphere flashed a few times and then it exploded. Debris fell everywhere and one chunk of the ceiling smashed the hood of the go kart. Despite all of her efforts, Vinyl Scratch was unable to restart or repair her vehicle. The DJ and the cellist pushed their kart out of the tunnel and used their flare. The service vehicle picked them up and pulled them away. Now only four teams remained out of the original twelve. Lightning Dust and Applejack quickly explained the situation to Rainbow Dash, Gilda, Twilight Sparkle, and Trixie. They all agreed to form an alliance to defeat Flim and Flam. Once the two stallions were beaten then they'd go back to racing against each other. The three teams found another path and they hurried to catch up with the two stallions.


	5. Chapter 5: The Race Part 3

**Chapter 5: The Race Part 3**

The remaining four teams were getting very near to the end of the race. They had roughly one third of the track left before they would finally cross the finish line. Flim and Flam were in the lead and they were laughing to their hearts' content. They had taken down eight of their eleven competitors and the remaining three were surely unable to get past the roadblock that the two stallions had left behind.

"I'd say we've really outdone ourselves with this one my dear brother." Flim said as he swerved around a turn.

"I quite agree bother of mine." Flam replied as he used his boosters to enable their kart to jump a gap.

The two stallions grinned but then their expressions changed when Flam realized that the other three teams were starting to catch up with them. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were in the lead with the teams of Rainbow Dash and Gilda and Applejack and Lightning Dust right behind them. All three teams were determined to win and they were glaring at Flim and Flam with quite a lot of hatred.

"They certainly are persistent eh Flam?" Flim asked his brother.

"That they are Flim." Flam replied. "Very persistent."

Flim kept driving and then he used his kart's cannon to shoot down several tree branches. The branches clogged up the road as the duo sped off. The remaining three teams weren't able to smash through the mass of wood so they came to a stop. They looked for an opening and they saw a patch of trees off to their left. All of a sudden, Trixie got an idea. Her face lit up with excitement as her horn glowed.

"Umm Trix what are you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked in confusion.

"Twilight do you remember when you taught Trixie that Tracking spell?" Trixie asked her alicorn friend. Twilight Sparkle nodded in response and Trixie kept talking. "Well Trixie thinks that she might be able to convert it into a Pathfinding spell." Trixie then shot a bolt of magic into the air. The magic blast soared high over the forest and it wandered over it for several moments before it flew back and hit Trixie's horn. Trixie sat still in a thoughtful pose and then she swapped places with Twilight Sparkle.

"Follow Trixie." she said as she led the way into the forest with the other two teams following closely behind her. Trixie's spell seemed to have done the job as the showmare knew exactly where to go. The forest was quite dim but the karts had been equipped with headlights so the three teams were able to see quite clearly. The trees overhead were massive and their leaves almost completely blocked out the sun. This forest was definitely a remote area due to the lack of paths as well as how wild everything looked. The three teams swerved in between trees, stumps, bushes, and rocks as they made their way through the forest. The path they were on started to slope upwards but they kept on driving. Sunlight started to pour into the forest as the amount of trees started to lessen. The path kept going upwards and it seemed to form a ramp of sorts. The three teams boosted and they flew off the ramp at blazing fast speeds.

"I never get tired of that." Lightning Dust yelled as her kart was pushed forwards at a blindingly fast pace by the boosters that Applejack used.

Meanwhile Flim and Flam were still in the lead. This time they were positive that they had won. There was no way that the other teams could get past their roadblock and even if they could they'd be too far away to stop the stallions from winning. Both of the brothers chuckled as they kept driving.

"I'd say we have this race in the bag my brother." Flim said.

"You can say that again brother." Flam replied.

"I'd say we have this race in the bag my brother." Flim repeated.

"You can say that again brother." Flam said in response with a smile on his face.

Before Flim could say his line again, he was cut off by the roars of three engines. Flam looked behind him and his jaw dropped in pure shock. Three go karts shot out of the forest like rockets and landed on the track only a few feet behind the two stallions. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were in the lead and the other two teams were very close by. Flim and Flam started to get worried and they tried to prepare their illegal weapons. Unfortunately for them, their cannon had overheated and they were out of nails. The spring had also broken a bit so their only weapon was their set of spikes. That wouldn't do them any good since the spikes were mounted on the front of the vehicle and all three teams were behind them. Twilight Sparkle had taken her position at the steering wheel again and she was trying to think of a way to beat Flim and Flam. However Rainbow Dash and Gilda as well as Lightning Dust and Applejack pulled up next to her and grinned.

"Leave this to us Twi." Rainbow Dash said in a determined tone.

"These guys are gonna get a taste of their own medicine." Gilda agreed with a grin on her face.

"We're gonna show 'em how we feel about cheaters." Lightning Dust added in a confident voice.

"Ya can count on us Twi." Applejack told her with a smile.

With that, the two teams sped off and pulled up alongside Flim and Flam. The two stallions grinned a bit but then they remembered that their springs were broken. Worried looks grew on the faces of both brothers as they watched their enemies get closer and closer to them.

"Now now." Flim said in a vain attempt to calm the foursome down. "Don't try anything."

"Why don't ya just let the real winners win this race?" Flam asked.

The two teams looked unimpressed by the stallions' arguments and they began to ram the duo's kart with their own. Flim and Flam barely managed to maintain control of their vehicle and they were perilously close to being sent off road. They argued that they were the best team and therefore deserved to win.

"You guys have some skills." Rainbow Dash admitted.

"And something to prove." Gilda added.

"But you're in our way." Lightning Dust told them.

"So ya better move." Applejack finished.

With that, the two teams rammed into Flim and Flam's vehicle once again. The yellow kart spun out of control and then the duo got rammed into by Twilight Sparkle and Trixie. The yellow kart went off road and slammed against a tree. The tires had been popped by some rather sharp rocks and then a branch came down and smashed the engine, rendering their kart useless. Sighing in defeat, Flim used his flare and the duo waited to be towed off of the track. Now there were only three teams left in the running. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie had caught up with the other teams and all three of them were neck and neck with each other. The audience cheered when they saw that Flim and Flam had been eliminated. The two stallions were highly unpopular in Ponyville so they had had absolutely no support from the townsponies. Flim and Flam waited while trying to ignore the glares they were getting from the rest of the teams.

The remaining three teams were still racing but they weren't attacking each other. They all wanted to win but they didn't want to win the way Flim and Flam had tried. Even though sending other karts off course wasn't against the rules, the three teams wanted to actually have some competition for the rest of the race. All three teams were moving as fast as they could as they swerved around curves and jumped over gaps. They came to a huge loop and they all used their boosters. They drove through the entire loop and then made a jump across a huge chasm. They rounded another turn and they saw the finish line in their sights.

"Good luck." all six racers said in unison as they sped towards the end of the race. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were in the center with Rainbow Dash and Gilda on their left and Applejack and Lightning Dust on their right. The crowd was cheering at the top of their lungs as they watched the three teams use their boosters one final time. Rainbow Dash, Gilda, Lightning Dust, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, and Trixie all had determined expressions on their faces as they got closer and closer to the end of the race. The three karts were nothing more than blue, teal, and purple blurs as they crossed the finish line. Nopony could tell who had won since the karts had been moving so fast. The three teams came to a stop and waited for the results. After several moments, the official pony walked up to his podium.

"The winning team of the race." he said. "Is the team of."

A moment of silence hung over the audience and the three teams as they waited for the stallion to finish his sentence.

"Twilight Sparkle and Trixie!" he shouted as the crowd cheered. The team of showmares had won the race. In second place were Rainbow Dash and Gilda who were very closely followed by Lightning Dust and Applejack. Loud cheers and applause were heard throughout the stadium at the announcement.

Many words could be used to describe the expressions of Twilight Sparkle and Trixie. Surprised, stunned, astounded, astonished, and baffled were just some of the wide variety of adjectives one could use. Both of them were amazed at the fact that they had won the race. Their friends cheered for them and then lifted them out of their kart and into the air. They carried the two ponies to the winners circle while the rest of the racers, minus Flim and Flam, pushed their kart into the center of the ring. Twilight Sparkle and Trixie were plopped down beside their kart and a photograph was taken of the duo. The official handed over two sacks of ten thousand bits each as well as two golden trophies to the winning duo of ponies and congratulated them. Flim and Flam walked over to Twilight Sparkle and congratulated her.

"We knew you could win." Flim said as he moved close to the alicorn, much to Trixie's displeasure.

"Never doubted ya for a minute." Flam agreed as he moved in on Twilight Sparkle's other side.

Twilight Sparkle beat her wings at the two stallions and they quickly moved away from her. They were about to speak to her but then they noticed the teams they had eliminated. Sixteen pairs of eyes were glaring at the two stallions and they started sweating a little.

"Now now." Flim said nervously. "Don't be hasty."

"No harm done." Flam agreed through chattering teeth. "No hard feelings. Right?"

The eight teams glared at the duo even more and then Flim and Flam ran off as fast as their legs would carry them. Not a single pony chased after the brothers. As far as they were concerned, the less time the duo spent in Ponyville the better. Pinkie Pie proposed a victory party and every team made their way to SugarCube Corner. All of the teams mingled with each other. Spitfire grinned as she signed an autograph for Scootaloo and told her that she could one day be a great flier. Scootaloo smiled but replied that she would rather stay with her friends and their rock band.

"If you wanna see a great flier there's nopony better than Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo declared. The rainbow maned pegasus heard this and a small blush appeared on her face. Spitfire smiled a bit and asked Rainbow Dash if she was the best flier ever.

"Fastest pegasus in Equestria." Rainbow Dash replied proudly.

"Oh please I could take you any day of the week." Lightning Dust replied in a challenging tone.

The two pegasi argued for a bit but Gilda broke them up.

"You guys might be the fastest _ponies_." she said with a grin. "But that doesn't mean you won't be beaten by a griffon."

The three fliers then got into a playful fight while the party kept going. In a secluded section of Ponyville, two stallions were standing with a small cloaked figure. They showed him two purple feathers that they had plucked from the wings of Twilight Sparkle. The presence of the feathers sparked the interest of the cloaked figure and he began to haggle with the brothers.

"Ten thousand." the figure said.

"I thought it was ten thousand per feather." Flim said with a slight grin on his face.

"That makes it twenty thousand." Flam added with a much broader smile on his own face.

"It's ten thousand like we agreed." the small figure replied firmly. "I don't care if you give me one feather or a hundred, it's gonna be ten thousand bits. Take it or leave it."

The trio stood in silence for a moment before the stallions smirked at the small figure.

"Well then perhaps we shall take our business elsewhere." Flim said.

"Too bad ya wouldn't raise your price." Flam told the figure in a mocking tone as the duo pretended to leave.

"And where would you go?" another voice asked.

The two stallions wheeled around and found themselves face to face with Shining Armor. Fear was showing very clearly on the faces of both Flim and Flam. They quickly handed the feathers over to the small figure, grabbed their bits, and ran. The two brothers didn't even dare look backwards out of fear that the male unicorn would be following them. Shining Armor smiled evilly a bit then he turned back into a changeling. The small figure grabbed the two lilac feathers and the duo left Ponyville in a flash of emerald green light. They appeared at their base and were grinning maliciously. Their plan to conquer the world would commence very soon. Now that they had the feathers of the alicorn princess there was nothing stopping them. The duo presented their feather to the queen of the changelings and she was quite pleased. Queen Chrysalis grinned broadly as she started making plans. She could already see her takeover of Equestria.

**The End!**

**Author's Note: **I hope you guys enjoyed reading this story because I had a lot of fun writing it. I had this idea for a while and I'm glad to have gotten the chance to make a story out of it. I said that A Prank Too Far had the most changes from when I got the idea to when I published it. While that is still true, this story definitely takes a close second. This was the story where I had originally planned to redeem Lightning Dust as well as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Instead of Flim and Flam being the villains it was going to be the changelings. I'm glad I changed it to what it is now because I like it better this way.

Right now I want to give a huge thanks to Crisist47 and 1LoneShadow for beta reading this story. You guys have been very helpful and I cannot thank you enough.

The lines said by Rainbow Dash, Gilda, Lightning Dust, and Applejack as they took out Flim and Flam are a reference to a song that I love which was the theme of a racing movie. (If you know the song it refers to you are awesome.)

If you're wondering why Queen Chrysalis wanted Twilight Sparkle's feathers or who the cloaked figure was that will be revealed in the next story. Speaking of the next story, when I published The Great and Miserable Trixie you guys said you wanted another Twilight SparklexTrixie story and that is what the next story will be. I am super excited to write it and I'm going to do my absolute best to make it as good as it can be. This story was a lot of fun and I can't wait to get working on the next one. Reviews are appreciated as always. Thanks for reading!

**Edit:** Hey guys it's been a while. I wanted to say that I'm working on the next story and I'm really proud of it so far. I've been doing my absolute best to make this story as good as it can possibly be and I think you guys will really love it. Unfortunately I've recently run into some personal issues which have kind of put a damper on my mood. I haven't quit writing fanfiction or anything but I want to sort out these issues before publishing my next story. I hate to leave you guys hanging like this but I don't feel right publishing the story when I'm not in the greatest of moods. Hopefully I'll be able to sort out these issues soon and be back to writing the stories I love. If you've been sticking around then thank you. I will not give up on writing these stories because they are way too fun for me to write. I just need to sort out some personal stuff first. Thanks for being patient and being such awesome fans! -TheGoldenYoshichu

For anyone who's curious as to when my next story will be published and why I've been absent for so long, I added an update to my profile so check it out and it should hopefully answer all of your questions. I'm sorry for the huge delay but everything that you need to know will be in that update on my profile. Just click on my username and it'll take you right there. -TheGoldenYoshichu


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